Must admit

[MCP850]

I was intriged with the look of Emerald's from the get go, I have a x7 on the way and of course very curious about particularly the neck and to a much less extent the color which is calbolt blue, from what I gather it will probably be hard to see in most light.

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Emerald guitars do seem interesting to me. I have enjoyed reading about them here and seeing the pictures and videos of them. However, I seem to be stuck in the "try before you buy" mode.

Rainsong gets a its share of attention here too. While I think they are very nice instruments, I can't stand the neck on them, so I would rather enjoy them from a distance. That is personal requirement, rather than a reflection on Rainsong's quality. I have also had the opportunity to play some of the higher end wood guitars that get a lot of discussion around these forums, and a surprising number of them have not been suitable for me. Because of that, I am reluctant to order online, sight unseen.

As a result, I still have my original CA Guitars Cargos and a couple of McPhersons (Touring and Sable) because I was able to buy them locally.

Someday, I will probably see an Emerald and can then decide whether I should add one to my collection. I have no doubt that they are a quality guitar like the products of other CF manufacturers I have had the opportunity to see, but it is the playability/feel of the instrument that I need to determine for my own needs. I do like Emerald's concept of the wood veneer top, bringing some of that look to the CF world.

Tony

I really love the neck on my RainSong. Guitars are such a personal thing.

Having said this, CF guitars are supposed to be extremely consistent compared to their conventional wooden counterparts (the experts in here can correct me if I'm wrong). I bought my RainSong site unseen with this in mind and I certainly wasn't disappointed in terms of sound quality. I would suspect that the same could be said for Emerald. If the vids impress you then you would probably be fine in the end.

As for comfort. I have no idea about their necks, but the contours on the body of their guitars would "common sense dictate" that they would be extremely comfortable. At least in my mind...

Cheers

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by Dbone

I really love the neck on my RainSong. Guitars are such a personal thing.

Having said this, CF guitars are supposed to be extremely consistent compared to their conventional wooden counterparts (the experts in here can correct me if I'm wrong). I bought my RainSong site unseen with this in mind and I certainly wasn't disappointed in terms of sound quality. I would suspect that the same could be said for Emerald. If the vids impress you then you would probably be fine in the end.

As for comfort. I have no idea about their necks, but the contours on the body of their guitars would "common sense dictate" that they would be extremely comfortable. At least in my mind...

Cheers

Well, that is the thing... I would have gone out and bought a Rainsong based on videos, pictures, and posts in this forum. Being able to try one first, I discovered that the neck just wasn't for me. I am sure that everything people say about Rainsong is true, and I saw nothing to dispute that.

This is also why I mentioned high end wood guitars in my post. We can read all the praise we can stand, but the truth is in the playing, since that is (I presume) what we get them for. Many of the high end guitars I have read praise for in these forums, just didn't suit me very well. Just as with Rainsong, that is not a negative reflection on the guitars, but simply a matter of personal taste.

With regard to the consistency of carbon fiber guitars, that has nothing to do with how a builder decides to shape the neck, set up string spacing, etc., other than that once those design decisions are made for a specific product, there might be consistency from one instrument to another in the same line.

So if you like the neck on a particular model, chances are that all the others of that same model will be just like it. So if I don't like the neck on a particular carbon fiber guitar that I tried, then it is likely that all the others of the same model will be the same. That would be where consistency in carbon fiber should be.

Tony

[Captain Jim]

Comfort, both in the body and feel of the neck should be a consideration when choosing a guitar. Something I have learned in 50+ years of playing guitar, and the last decade especially, where I have bought more guitars than the previous 4 decades combined: I am adaptable to different neck shapes (nut width, scale, thickness, shape, string spacing)... to a point. (Whew - quite the run-on sentence!)

I played that RainSong NS (the 12-fret version of the N2) neck for 4 years. I really wanted that guitar be "the one." My left hand told me otherwise. The 3 Emeralds I own have different scales, but each is comfortable. The X10, with the 1 11/16" nut width is narrower than all my other acoustics, with a 1 3/4" nut width... but just as playable. OK, maybe even more comfortable.

My step outside the steel string box, with the Yamaha SLG nylon, showed me that the wider nut width of that was uncomfortable, and never got better with more play time.

This is a personal experience that shows me that even an old dog can be somewhat open to new changes. After discovering how much I like the Taylor necks, I thought I'd probably not own anything but that brand. But "the most important" thing in picking any guitar can change. More than the name on the headstock, for any guitar to be "just right," it has to sound good, feel good, and have some visual appeal.

I was one of those "I have to try it before I will even consider buying it" guys, but I have changed that thinking. The last 10 or so guitars I bought were ordered on-line or by phone. I have sold off a couple, but didn't send any back. We have SO MUCH information available on-line... photos of the actual guitar; video clips giving us some idea of tone; a zillion "reviews" from other owners.

Because we all come in different shapes and sizes, "the feel" is still going to be an individual thing. I was able to get together recently with my friend Earl. I joked that standing next to each other, we look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DiVitto in twins... yet, we both find the Emerald X20 hits a sweet spot in feel and tone.

I guess the long way of saying: it would be a shame to miss owning a great guitar because you couldn't try one in person first.

[tbeltrans]

Since Captain Jim mentioned Taylor necks, I want to throw in an observation (not about Captain Jim...).

If you like Taylor necks, then it is very likely that you would like the necks on the McPherson Sable. They are quite similar. The major difference is that with Taylor, I usually need a setup to get the action to where I like it. With the McPherson, the action was already there. For those who aren't aware, the McPherson Sable is carbon fiber.

I have only one problem with the McPherson Sable. It sounds too much like Mercury Sable, the car. So I have to be careful to make sure I don't say "Mercury" instead of "McPherson".

Here is a bit about the Mercury Sable:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Sable

Here is a bit about the McPherson Sable:

https://mcphersonguitars.com/carbon-series/sable/

The main difference is that one floats and the other does not. You can probably guess which is which.


Tony

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Since Captain Jim mentioned Taylor necks, I want to throw in an observation (not about Captain Jim...).

If you like Taylor necks, then it is very likely that you would like the necks on the McPherson Sable. They are quite similar. The major difference is that with Taylor, I usually need a setup to get the action to where I like it. With the McPherson, the action was already there. For those who aren't aware, the McPherson Sable is carbon fiber.

I have only one problem with the McPherson Sable. It sounds too much like Mercury Sable, the car. So I have to be careful to make sure I don't say "Mercury" instead of "McPherson".

Here is a bit about the Mercury Sable:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Sable

Here is a bit about the McPherson Sable:

https://mcphersonguitars.com/carbon-series/sable/

The main difference is that one floats and the other does not. You can probably guess which is which.


Tony

The build quality on those Sables looks extremely good...The guitar, not the car

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by Dbone

The build quality on those Sables looks extremely good...The guitar, not the car

I don't know about the car, since I didn't own one (but knew a lot of folks who did), but I can tell you that McPherson is rather particular as to what they will put their name on. My nephew, a bow hunter, says that McPherson makes the best carbon fiber hunting bows in the world. I am not surprised that they follow suit with their carbon fiber guitars.

I own two Tourings and one Sable. All three have the honeycomb top and the gold package (gold EVO frets and gold Schaller tuners. It is like having a fine set of high quality knives, I suppose.

Tony

Tony;

That's a pretty interesting Sunday afternoon comparison. With McPherson pointing the way, I could see Blackbird coming out with a Thunderbird.

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

I don't know about the car, since I didn't own one (but knew a lot of folks who did), but I can tell you that McPherson is rather particular as to what they will put their name on. My nephew, a bow hunter, says that McPherson makes the best carbon fiber hunting bows in the world. I am not surprised that they follow suit with their carbon fiber guitars.

I own two Tourings and one Sable. All three have the honeycomb top and the gold package (gold EVO frets and gold Schaller tuners. It is like having a fine set of high quality knives, I suppose.

Tony

I looked at them at the time when I bought my RainSong, but they were quite a bit more money than I was looking to spend at the time. They are quite something for sure. Good decision.

[Frettingflyer]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Since Captain Jim mentioned Taylor necks, I want to throw in an observation (not about Captain Jim...).

If you like Taylor necks, then it is very likely that you would like the necks on the McPherson Sable. They are quite similar. The major difference is that with Taylor, I usually need a setup to get the action to where I like it. With the McPherson, the action was already there. For those who aren't aware, the McPherson Sable is carbon fiber.

I have only one problem with the McPherson Sable. It sounds too much like Mercury Sable, the car. So I have to be careful to make sure I don't say "Mercury" instead of "McPherson".

Here is a bit about the Mercury Sable:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Sable

Here is a bit about the McPherson Sable:

https://mcphersonguitars.com/carbon-series/sable/

The main difference is that one floats and the other does not. You can probably guess which is which.


Tony

I have the Sable and find it the most comfortable guitar ever to play over the neck with the thumb, which I do a quite a bit. I have some arthritis in my fretting thumb so the Sable just makes it more pleasurable.
Still in the honeymoon phase, but my favorite of 2 Rainsong, a Blackbird, an Emerald and the Sable, FWIW.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by EvanB

Tony;

That's a pretty interesting Sunday afternoon comparison. With McPherson pointing the way, I could see Blackbird coming out with a Thunderbird.

Every time I see Public Television, it seems there is some chef wielding a knife, so it seemed a good comparison.

It could be pretty telling, what connections folks make with the Thunderbird. For some, it would be a cheap bottle of wine, and for others a pretty cool car.

Tony

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by Dbone

I looked at them at the time when I bought my RainSong, but they were quite a bit more money than I was looking to spend at the time. They are quite something for sure. Good decision.

Oh, but they are worth it. :/

Tony

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by Frettingflyer

I have the Sable and find it the most comfortable guitar ever to play over the neck with the thumb, which I do a quite a bit. I have some arthritis in my fretting thumb so the Sable just makes it more pleasurable.
Still in the honeymoon phase, but my favorite of 2 Rainsong, a Blackbird, an Emerald and the Sable, FWIW.

I have a Taylor K14ce Builder's Edition, and the neck/fretboard on that is so much like that of the McPherson Sable that there is no adjustment going from one to the to the other. Both are excellent instruments, though more and more, I am favoring the McPherson, probably because it can stay out all the time so it gets played more. Uh oh...

Tony

[Frettingflyer]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

I have a Taylor K14ce Builder's Edition, and the neck/fretboard on that is so much like that of the McPherson Sable that there is no adjustment going from one to the to the other. Both are excellent instruments, though more and more, I am favoring the McPherson, probably because it can stay out all the time so it gets played more. Uh oh...

Tony

It’s funny Tony, I also have the K14ce BE and those 2 get the most play in my house. The rounded edges are great, especially on the neck there for me.